Disabled Dachshund saved thanks to rescue volunteer and wheelchair

Sign up for our newsletter and get stories like this and more from DogHeirs delivered straight to your inbox!

When a Dachshund was abandoned by his owner after he got a spinal cord injury, a volunteer at Kaohisung Concern for Stray Animals Association in Taipei stepped forward and rescued the disabled dog.

Knowing that the Dachshund would be euthanized after two weeks, the volunteer adopted him and named him Baozi. Prior to being rescued, Baozi had peeling skin and injuries to his stomach, hind legs and tail from having dragged himself around on the ground.

As part of his recovery, the rescue got him a wheelchair. They purchased it from a local manufacturer that has started making the devices. Now that he has a wheelchair, Baozi is mobile and can go on daily walks and answer "the call of nature" when he needs to.

Although he can only wear it for a maximum of two hours, Baozi can live comfortably again and the chair minimizes skin and internal organ problems that can arise from his injuries.

The Association is encouraging dog owners who may have disabled dogs to make similar invest in a wheelchair, now that there are affordable options available.

Several manufacturers in Taipei now make the devices. The dog wheelchairs cost anywhere from NT$4,000 (US$133) to tens of thousands of New Taiwan dollars, but still the costs are half of what it would cost to order one from overseas.

Unfortunately, despite the availability of such wheelchairs, disabled dogs still get abandoned when their owners don't want to put in the effort or expense.

Presently, the association takes care of 20 to 30 disabled dogs at any one time. Despite the extra time and effort in harnessing and unharnessing the dogs, volunteers say it is well worth it to see the dogs move about more freely and have a chance at a new life.

Sign up for our newsletter and get stories like this and more from DogHeirs delivered straight to your inbox!

You may also like

The parents of a severely disabled boy are asking for support after breed specific legislation threatens to take away their boy's beloved dog. Dylan is 10 years old and has lived in a vegetative state since birth. Dylan's parents, Eckhard and Barbara Gerzmehle, care for him around the clock and machines monitor his vital signs and health. Dylan is also cared for by his faithful friend Tascha, a 6-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Every morning, Tascha...

Bonedigger the lion and Milo the Dachshund are best friends. Photo: GW Zoo and Joe Exotic TV A 500-pound lion named Bonedigger is best friends with Milo, a Dachshund. Bonedigger first met Milo and three other Dachshund puppies five years ago when he was just 4 weeks old. The pups seemed to instinctively know that Bonnedigger was mildly disabled (he suffers from a metabolic bone disease), and they wanted to protect him, according to Joe...

Callie is a blind Dachshund who likes to pretend not to hear her owner, but she has a very obvious "tell". Her owner says, "[she] always pretends not to hear us when we're calling all the dogs to go out one last time before bed. She rolls over and pretends she's dead ... except her tail gives her away."

Here is TJ's story: http://youtu.be/Niup14QZo5c Sometimes, rescue work can seem overwhelming. "Am I going to be able to help this poor dog? Is he too far gone?"TJ was found living on the streets, a pile of garbage for his bed. He had mange and what hair he had left was matted and as hard as a turtle's shell. TJ had no use of his back legs and was covered in feces.West Coast Animal...

When a blind man brought his guide dog onto a bus in New Taipei City, a female passenger complained that the guide dog was smelly. She started yelling at the bus driver after he refused to open the window. Mr. Lan (the blind passenger) recounts the incident: "I told her my dog wasn't stinky, that it didn't smell. She said I was yelling at her and complained. She told the bus company that the driver had...